Have you ever felt attached to medium of expression, but your whole body paralyzes when you even begin to attempt it for yourself? Graphic design liberated me from this restraint I always felt in my growth. It provided me with a path through the very dense forest that is imagery. It allowed me to choose techniques at my own discretion, so long as I paid it back with discreet meaning. Collage was one of my more feared creative media—and one to which I have such a close subjective attraction. It seems a naturally perfect method to help represent this month’s brand, Stratosphere, who effectively piece together music and sound and effects to create their own audible collages (audiolage?). How does one confront media that both fascinates and arrests them?

“Just jump in,” I can hear you thinking it. Mind the mention of paralyzation. Milton Glaser says that there is no such thing as writer’s block. He says you’re just being lazy, now get to work. Right now I’m a little lost in the forest, laying breadcrumbs, but I suppose that’s what this month was all about. Here are some things I’ve come across worth noting for Stratosphere:

Notpaper: blog devoted to collage artists with some inspirational interviews and visuals:
(collage by Ashkan Honarvar)

Mixel: I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s brilliant.
(though Mixel is now being put to rest, no longer available for download, which gives me great sadness)

Current Client: Fuse

Fuse is the name of an infused vodka project where exotic ingredients are combined and patiently brewed and are enjoyed at a later date. These vodkas are a homemade pet hobby of my own, but here on the blog I'm set out to give the product a graphic character to help bring it to life. Fuse has a lot going for it in taste, but in terms of identity, these five words were built to help guide the way: